What are you involved in?
“Here on campus, I’m pretty heavily involved in the theatre department. I’m going to be in The Crucible. I am also the founder and president of the performing arts group on campus called Little Happenings…the goal of which is to confuse and entertain people. I’m also involved with Black Squirrel, I have a job at WAUG as well as a radio show (Are You My Mom)…which is every Thursday night from 10 to 12. Sometimes we bring guests on the show who don’t know what the show is about, just so we can get that shock humor to get them completely dumbfounded when we’re screaming at each other. And I make videos…I have a Youtube channel…which is just called Jonathan Quigley.”
What or whom inspires you?
“I’d say two people in particular. Jeff Goldblum…he is a beautiful beautiful man. It never really seems like he’s playing a character…it seems that every character he plays just becomes Jeff Goldblum. His presence on screen is so iconic that it’s impossible to distinguish him from the character.
I would say my biggest inspiration in terms of artistic style and passion is Eric Andre. He is the creator and star of the Adult Swim series The Eric Andre Show. A lot of people, when they see what I’m about…they’ll compare me to Eric Andre, and I feel like some people try to say it in an almost derivative way, basically saying ‘you’re doing what Eric Andre does.’ To which I say, ‘yes, that’s kinda the goal.’ I mean obviously I don’t copy him…he excels at absurdity, and chaos, and randomness, and just a beautiful cacophony of unorthodox television and media. And I strive to one day, in any capacity, produce content close to what he is making. The Eric Andre show is the pinnacle of what I view as good content. That is the core of where my creative spark comes from. He gave me direction during a time in my life when I didn’t know what I was doing.”
What do you hope to achieve on this campus?
“I hope to achieve being seen. Which I can guess you can say I’ve already achieved…it’s a daily thing…I enjoy being seen. I enjoy being able to shove my content in the faces of everyone on this campus, regardless of whether they love it or hate it. I enjoy the unorthodox nature of performance theatre in found spaces.
And I hope to inspire others into wanting to be seen. It’s not a common quality to find in people…when people do see it, it’s looked down upon. In some cases it can be a negative quality. But I feel like a lot of people are trying to hide…and for some people that’s just how they live their life, and that’s a perfectly fine way to live. I want to open the door for people…being seen isn’t negative.”
What would you say your proudest moment or accomplishment is?
“I guess the moments always seem small compared to what’s to come. I like to revel in the past but I don’t let it distract me from the future. I think about how I can take what I have done and build off of that. I don’t really feel like I’ve had a moment yet where I’ve felt like ‘oh, this is my moment. This is THE moment.’ I mean I’ve had a lot of moments…I mean I guess a moment that I have been proud of myself is the time I walked around campus with a giant box over myself, covered in question marks, with a creepy white mask over the front…that was a big moment for me. My proudest moment, though? I can’t say I’ve had that yet.”
What are you known for?
“A lot of things. I’m known for my hair. I’d like to think I’m known for my club. Sometimes I’m worried that the club is moreso known because of me, and I’m trying to get it the other way around. We’ve got a good group at Little Happenings right now, but I’d like to see it expand. I’m also pretty sure I’m known for my rollerblading. I’d like to think that I’m just known for being Quigley. I don’t want to become arrogant or cocky or too comfortable in being well-known. I feel like if I get into that comfortable position that I will not be the same person that I am now. I’m also worried about getting used to this being known thing. It’s easy to be known at a college…In the real world it’s a little more difficult.”
What do you wanna be known for?
“I want to be known for the content that I produce. I would be honored if people knew me for the content that I produce. It’s difficult, especially outside of Augustana.”
What is a personality trait that more people should have?
“People shouldn’t give a f%#$. Too many people give a f%#$ about what people will think about them, what society will think about them. They’re too concerned with the way people see them…which is why I think that people are so afraid of being seen. It’s a freeing feeling to let people see you and not give a f%#$ what they actually think about you. Live your own life, not tethered down by the worries and anxieties of how other people see you…I have a lot of anxieties about how people view me, I just hide it very well. And I don’t let it get in the way of doing what I want and what I love. But people should give a little f%#$. Give the right amount.”
What is a piece of advice you hold close to your heart?
“It’s from a Shia Labeouf video…his famous ‘Just Do It’ video. A lot of people don’t get around to doing the things that they love because life gets in the way. But if you can find something that you love enough that you find time to do it…that’s what you should do in life. That’s what you are passionate about, what gives you the most joy. A lot of people feel like they can’t do certain things because they don’t have the requisite skills or knowledge or whatever…but experience starts at zero.
The most important thing you can do is just start. Somewhere, anywhere. My first video…I filmed it in a week, edited it in another week. I had no idea what I was doing. And that video set me on a path of doing so much more. The skills and knowledge I had when I started, I have learned so much. People need to make bad content! Make bad content! Bad content is the first step in making okay content. Don’t be afraid to do something wrong. That’s literally how great art is made!”
Tell me about something that you care deeply about.
“I care deeply about people. I think people are the most valuable resource in the world. I care about the relationships that I form, and the way people encourage me to grow. Good people are what make life worth living. Don’t hold on to people who you feel hold you back. No one sticks around…life changes. And you change as a person, and the people that you know change. There is no guarantee that someone is going to stick around. People are going to come and go, be open and accept new people when they do come into your life.”
What do you hope to learn more about?
“Myself. I hope to learn more about the world, people…these are all very fluff answers. I guess I hope to learn more. Not really anything in specific, because we’re all gonna die in 50 or 70 years…life is fleeting. I just hope that I never stop learning. There’s an unlimited amount of information that is available to us. Everything and filmmaking!”
Anything else you want people to know?
“Little Happenings meets every Sunday at 6pm in Olin 305.”